Apparatus for gripping balls containing plants

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for the gripping of plants located in a container is disclosed. This apparatus comprises a pushing element, which pushes the ball of the plant upwardly from underneath, until the ball is released for a substantial part above the container. Then the ball is gripped by a number of gripping arms, movable in a horizontal direction, which transports the ball including the plant to its destination. To be able to push the ball upwards the continer comprises at location of each of the cavities for the balls a guiding channel for the pushing element. This channel has a cross-section of a star-like configuration, the number of points thereof coinciding with the number of points of the pushing element.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to the field of gripping apparatus forplants and relates in particular to an apparatus for removing a ballcomprising a plant from a cavity, open at its upper side, and providedin a container.

Such apparatus are generally known.

Such known apparatuses generally have the disadvantage, that as aconsequence of a too large pushing force, which is required to removethe ball from the container, the ball is pulverised or the plant isdamaged. It also may happen that it is not possible to grip the ball ofthe plant effectively without damaging the leaves or the flowers of theplant because the plant is approached from above. Of course, such damageis undesired.

The aim of the present invention is to provide an apparatus in which itis avoided that neither the plant nor the ball is damaged, and whereinthe ball is gripped in a sure way, and wherein the position of the ballis reproducable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

This aim is reached in that the container comprises a substantiallyvertical guiding channel of which the axis is substantially identicalwith the axis of the cavity,

that a pushing element has been provided, which is movable through theguiding channel; and

that a gripping apparatus has been provided, comprising at least threegripping organs, which are able to grip the ball above the upper side ofthe container.

It is also the aim of the invention to provide a container, which can beused adventageously with the apparatus according to the presentinvention. As a consequence of these measures it is possible to push theball from the cavity from underneath, so that at least a part of theball is released for gripping by the gripping organs. When the grippingorgans have gripped the ball, this can further be conveyed by thegripping organs and be treated further. Whereas the ball of the plant ispushed upward to some extent, it becomes easy for the gripping organs togrip the plant at its ball, so that the danger of damaging of the plantby gripping the plant or by gripping the ball from above is avoided asmuch as possible.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Subsequently the present invention will be elucidated with the help ofembodiments shown in the drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1: depicts a schematic perspective view, partly broken away, of afirst embodiment of an embodiment according to the present invention;

FIG. 2: depicts a schematic perspective view of a variation of theembodiment shown in FIG. 1, in which the apparatus is in anotherposition:

FIG. 3A en 3B: perspective detailed views of the variation of the firstembodiment shown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4: a schematic perspective view of a second embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 5: a partly schematic perspective view of an apparatus forobtaining a full density of strips, containing plants, in which theapparatus according to the present invention is used;

FIG. 6: a perspective view, partly broken away, of a tray, which can beapplied advantageously with the present invention;

FIG. 6a: a perspective view, partly broken away of a cavity of the trayaccording to FIG. 6;

FIG. 6b: top view of a cavity of the tray according to FIG. 6;

FIG. 7: a top view of a second embodiment of a cavity in a tray;

FIG. 7a: a cross-sectional view of the cavity according to FIG. 7 alongthe line VIIa--VIIa;

FIG. 8: a top view of a third embodiment of a cavity in a tray; and

FIG. 8a: a cross-sectional view of the cavity according to FIG. 7 alongthe line VIIIa--VIIIa.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 the ball 2 comprising a plant 1 hasbeen provided in a strip-shaped container 3. The upper side of thiscontainer 3 comprises an array of substantially cylindrical cavities 4,while the lower side of the strip-shaped container comprises a groove 5extending in the longitudinal direction of the container. Concentricwith each of the cylindrical cavities 4 a cross- of star-shaped throughaperture has been provided, which, as a consequence of the presence ofthe cavities 4 and of the grooves 5 is shown in the drawing in the shapeof four grooves 6 extending radially from the cavities 4. These groovesextend over the full height of the strip-shaped container 3, includingthe groove 5.

In addition, a number of the strip-shaped containers 3 has been composedto a so-called tray 8 by means of connection strips 7. This facillitatesthe handling of such strips. Normally, the cavities 4 of thestrip-shaped containers are filled with growing material andsubsequently are provided with a seed, which actions are executed withapparatuses known per se, after which trays 8 comprising such strips arelocated in a propagator, after which the plants will germinate. As aconsequence thereof, in most of the cavities 4 a ball 2 with a plant 1will be present.

For removing the ball 2 with the plant 1 from the container, use is madeinter alia of a pushing organ 9, which comprises a vertical rod 10,driven in vertical direction by means of a lineair driving apparatus notdepicted in the drawing, on which vertical rod 10 four radiallyextending levers 11 have been provided, while on each of the ends of thelevers 11 an elongation 12 extending upwardly has been provided.Preferably, the elongations 12 are beveled at their inner sides tofacillitate the gripping of the balls 2. Of course it is also possibleto bevel the outer side of the alengation to some extent, so that theentering into the guiding grooves 6 is facillitated.

Above the pushing organ 9, a gripping apparatus 13 has been provided,which is located exactly above the pushing organ 9 and which is movableboth in the horizontal and in the vertical direction for conveying theball 2 with the plant 1 provided therein. The gripping apparatus 13 hasbeen mounted to a hollow rod 14, being movable in substantially thevertical direction, at the lower side of which a bearing plate 15 hasbeen provided. This bearing plate 15 comprises four notches distributedregularly over the incumference, in which notches substantiallytangentially extending shafts 17 have been provided. A gripping lever 18has been mounted around each of the shafts 17.

Each of the gripping levers 18 extends from the shaft 17 initiallydownwards but also inwards to some extend. Subsequently, the grippinglever extends substantially in radial direction outwardly, while afterwhich a curve of about 180° is described, so that at the end of thecurve, the lever stretches inwardly. The last part of the gripping lever18 stretches downwardly and forms the gripping part 19 of the grippinglever 18.

An inner rod 20 extends through the hollow rod 14, at the lower side ofwhich a guiding plate 21 has been provided. The guiding plate 21comprises four apertures 22 through each of which the gripping lever 18extends. As a consequence of the shape of the gripping levers 18, themovement in vertical direction of the rod 20 and the movement of theguiding plate 21 as a consequence thereof, will cause the grippinglevers 18 to rotate around the shafts 17. As a consequence thereof thegripping part 19 of each of the gripping levers 18 will move in radialdirection inwardly or outwardly, so that a ball 2 can be gripped and canbe released. The curve of each of the gripping levers 18 has beenprovided for leave space to the leaves, flowers and stems of the plants.

Subsequently the working of the embodiment shown in this figure will bedescribed. The tray 8 comprising strips 3 positioned such above apushing organ 9 that a cavity 4 is exactly above the pushing organ 9.Then the driving apparatus will move the rod 10 with the levers 11 andelongations 12 thereof upwardly, so that these will move through theguiding grooves 6 provided in the strip-shaped container 3, so that theball 2 is engaged at its lower side body arms 11 and at its side by theelongations 12 and is moved upwardly. Herein the ball 2 and the plant 1provided therein is released from the cavity 4 until it is above theupper side of the stripshaped container 3.

The gripping apparatus 13 also positioned just above the pushing organwill be lowered by a driving apparatus not depicted in the drawings,after which the gripping parts 19 of the gripping levers 18 are on thelevel of the ball 2. Also the guiding plate 21 has been located in itslowest position, so that the gripping parts 19 are in their outerposition. By moving the rod 20 upwardly and away from the guiding plate21, the upper parts of the gripping levers 18 are drawn inwardly, sothat also the gripping parts of the gripping levers 18 are drawninwardly and these are gripping the ball 2. Care has to be taken thatthe gripping parts 19 grip between the elongations 12 Subsequently thewhole gripping apparatus 13 is moved upwardly and thus the plant can betransported to another position, for instance to a planting machine orto an apparatus for locating the ball and the plant in a biggercontainer. The pushing organ can be moved downwardly, after which thecontainer can be relocated over one position and the next ball can begripped.

The position in which the ball has been moved until above the pushingorgan by the gripping apparatus 13 is depicted in FIG. 2. The embodimentshown in FIG. 2 deviates from the embodiment depicted in FIG. 1 in thatthe pushing organ has been constructed differently.

This pushing organ is depicted in more detail in FIG. 3A and 3B. Theembodiment shown in FIG. 3A and 3B of the pushing organ comprises againa hollow rod 23, movable in the vertical direction, which is split atits upper side into four gripping levers 24. Just as in the case of thegripping apparatus 13, the gripping levers 24 extend initially insubsequently vertical direction, but also somewhat in radial directioninwardly, in which each of the gripping arms comprises a vertical part,a horizontal part, directed radially outwardly, and the vertical partwhich is meant to grip the ball. Within the hollow rod 23 an inner rod26 extends, which comprises at its upper side a cross 27, as shown inFIG. 3B, which is surrounded by a ring 28. On top of the cross 27 aconical element 29 has been located.

By moving the rod 26 in vertical direction relative to the rod 24, thegripping parts 25 of the gripping arms can be relocated in a radialdirection, so that the pushing element according to this embodiment alsohas a gripping function, which can be important in the case of someplants.

To offer room for the thickness of the gripping arms 24, guiding groovesprovided in the strip-shaped containers 3 comprises thickenings 30.

In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 4, each of thecavities 4 provided in the strip-shaped container 3 comprises only threeguiding grooves 6. Consequently it is necessary that the pushing organ 9comprises three rods 10 comprising an elongation 12 at every end.Further this embodiment corresponds to the embodiment described in FIG.1.

The gripping apparatus deviates, however, substantially; the grippingapparatus has been mounted on a supporting element 31 which is movableover two rods 32. For driving this, a driving rod 33 has been provided,which is depicted only partially. Under the bearing element a verticalrod 34 has been provided, which is movable in the vertical direction bymeans of a linear driving organ 35.

At the under side of the rod 34 a plate 36 has been mounted, to whichthree rods 37 extending partially in the vertical direction downwardlyand partially radially outwardly have been mounted. At the end of eachof the rods 27 a U-shaped rod 38 has been provided, having legs whichextend downwardly in the vertical direction. Each of said rods 38 isconnected with a ring 39. At the lower side of each pair of legs of therod 38, a shaft 55 has been mounted, around which rod 40 is movable. Atthe inner end of each of the rods 40 a gripping plate 41 has beenprovided, while at the other end of the rod 40 one end of the lineardriving organ 42 has been provided. This linear driving organ can takethe shape of a hydraulic or a pneumatic cylinder or a linearelectromotor.

Subsequently the working of the present embodiment will be described.The working of the pushing organ 9 is therein equal to that of thepushing organ 9 described in FIG. 1. The supporting element 31 ispositioned such that the shaft 34 is precisely above the cavity 4.Herein the linear driving organs 42 have been pulled inwardly, so thatthe gripping plates 41 are in their outer position. Herein the verticalrod 34 is moved downwardly until the gripping plates 41 are at the levelof the ball 2. Thereafter the linear driving organs will stretch, sothat the gripping plates 41 will be moved inwardly and upwardly. Tocompensate this movement, the linear driving organ 35 will move thevertical rod 34 such in downward direction, that this vertical componentof movement is eliminated and the gripping plates 41 are moved insubstantial horizontal direction. This movement is continued until theball has been gripped. Subsequently the pushing organ can be moveddownwardly, while the ball 2 with the plant 1 located therein can betransported to another position, for instance the position 43 depictedwith dashed lines.

FIG. 5 shows a application of the apparatus according to the presentinvention. In this application use is made of a supply apparatus 44 forsupplying strip-shaped containers 3 in the shape of trays, and in thecavities 4 whereof plants 1 have been provided. To further process thesetrays 8, they are separated by a saw apparatus 45, so that separatestrip-shaped containers 3 are developed. These are moved in a directionextending perpendicular to the original direction of supply by means ofa transporting organ 46, after which they are subsequently step-wisedrawn through a second pushing apparatus 47, wherein plants 1 located inthe cavities 4 of the relevant strip-shaped container are examined.

Such an examination apparatus can be composed by a light source 49located at one side of the path to be travelled over by the plants and alight sensitive element located at the other side of the relevant path.This examination apparatus 48 determines whether a plant 1 is present inthe cavity concerned, and when this is the case, whether the size of theplant is sufficient. When the plant 1 does not need the requirements,the relevant ball and the plant 1 present therein is removed from therelevant cavity by means of a removal apparatus 51, after which a plant1 from another strip-shaped container 3 is supplied by means of anapparatus depicted only schematically.

Consequently all cavities 4 of the relevant stripshaped container arecompletely filled with healthy plants. To have a healthy plant availablealways a second examination organ 48 has been provided, which examinesplants located in the other strip-shaped container. When all healthyplants have been removed from this second container a next container issupplied by the transport apparatus, so that also the examination organ48 has a sufficient supply of healthy plants.

The apparatus according to the present invention can also be used with aplanting machine or in a machine for locating the plants in biggercontainers.

Subsequently some embodiments of trays will be described, which aredepicted in FIG. 6-8.

FIG. 6 shows a part of a tray which can be applied with the apparatusaccording to the present invention. The tray 8 comprises cavities 4provided according to a regular patern. Each of the cavities comprises,as is shown clearly in FIG. 6, a conical part 54, which has a bottom atits lower side. The slight conicity of this conical part 54 serves tofacillitate the production of the tray. By this conicity the trays canbe released easily from the mould. Of course, the ball present in thecavity can easily be pushed upwards. The conicity is, however, notessential for the invention.

Further, central with the conical cavity 54 a cross-shaped guidingchannel 6 has been provided which extends until the underside of thetray 8. By having the cross-shaped guiding channel 6 and the cavity 54coincide the underside of the bottom 54 is separated until four pieces55 which each have the shape of a circle-segment. Consequently thebottom of the aperture 54 is not continuous.

This has the advantage that the roots of a plant being present in theball tend to grow according to a circular movement along the bottom ofthe container, in this case the bottom of the conical cavity. Generallythis circular growing is not desired, as a kind of programming of theroots takes place. When the ball with the plant is planted in a biggercontainer or in the soil, the roots will tend to continue the circularmovement and will grow according to a circle, so that the roots willextend only outside the original ball to a small extend and the originalball is separated within the bigger container or in the soil. Of coursethis is not desired as the ability to obtain water and nutrition fromthe surrounding soil is limited considerably and the plant may becomeloose in the ground.

As the bottom of the container has been divided into pieces, so that theround going tendation of the roots is broken off and the roots will growdownwardly, guided by the guiding channel 6.

The previous consideration is valid for the conical sides of the cavity54 so that these conical sides are broken up by guiding grooves 6 andthe tending to grow around is eliminated.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 a hexagonal cavity 56 is shown inwhich a guiding channel 57 has been provided in the shape of athree-pointed star, so that every second side of the hexagonal cavity 56comprises a guiding groove. The cavity 56 is again conical to ease therelease of the tray 8. Further a three-pointed star configuration of theguiding channel 57 makes this tray fit for a gripping element 11comprising three elongations. A cross-section of the cavity is shown inFIG. 7a. Also in this case, both the bottom and the sides are broken toeliminate the circular growing of the roots.

Further the embodiment shown in FIG. 7 deviates in that in the bottom anextra aperture 59 has been provided which connects the cavity with theunderside. In FIG. 7 this extra opening is round, thus it canaccommodate every shape and it does not have to be equal to the shape ofthe relevant cavity.

Finally FIG. 8 shows a next embodiment in which the cavity 58 is squareand in which a cross-shaped guiding channel 6 has been provided. Insteadof round, hexagonal or square cavities with other shapes can be applied,such as polygonal ones or oval ones.

I claim:
 1. Container for plants being provided in balls, comprising asubstantially flat body, in which cavities open towards an upper sideare provided according to a regular pattern, the cavities having a lowershelf for supporting the plant balls wherein each cavity has anassociated through going guiding channel having a star-likeconfiguration located such that the star-shaped configuration is coaxialwith the cavity, in which points of the star-shaped configuration extendbeyond the outer periphery of the cavity to form through going guidinggrooves.
 2. Container according to claim 1, wherein the cavity has theshape of a truncated cone.
 3. Container according to claim 1, whereinthat the cavity is round.
 4. Container according to claim 1 or 2, thecavity is polygonal.
 5. Container according to claim 1 wherein the flatbody can be parted into strips by means of breaking grooves, in whichevery strip comprises at least one array of cavities.
 6. Containeraccording to claim 5, wherein (stet) of the strips comprises at itslower side a guiding groove.
 7. Container according to claim 1 whereineach of the cavities comprises an extra aperture at its lower side.